Shopping using wireless communication

ABSTRACT

This is a system to assist shoppers through a handheld wireless communications device which is Bluetooth-enabled (as an example) (a registered trademark), connected to a barcode reader to scan Universal Product Code (UPC) barcodes on items in the store. The shopper is required to login to the store&#39;s shopping system using this device once a personal account has created. While shopping, scan the items, view their prices and running total and finally complete the purchase. This system is also capable of (as an example) consolidating a personal shopping list created remotely through vendor&#39;s web site or stored on the personal communication device and the shopping cart to help and enhance the shopping experience.

This is a Cont. of another Accelerated Exam. application Ser. No.12/020,546, filed Jan. 27, 2008, to issued in November 2008, as a USPatent, with the same title, inventors, and assignee, IBM.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shoppers frequently are not sure of the price of an item on the shelf.It is not clear exactly which item is being referred to for sale prices,whether it is taxable, and the price that actually shows at the registeris frequently a complete surprise. In order to get an idea of the costof your purchases, shoppers bring calculators to the grocery store inorder to stay within their budget. Others remove items during checkoutafter the price is determined.

Between long checkout lines, and distraught shoppers, the shoppingexperience has become less enjoyable than it could be. This proposedsystem tries to address these problems and perform as an assistant tothe shopper enhancing the experience and reducing the checkout time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When a shopper enters a store or a mall that uses this technology, he ishanded a Bluetooth (Reg. trademark) enabled wireless device with abarcode reader that can scan Universal Product Code (UPC) barcodesprinted on items in the store. The shopper will then be required tologin to the store's shopping system using the provided device orpersonal cell phone if the barcode reader could be connected to thepersonal device. This system is preferably configured to operate with apersonal account that was previously setup to begin shopping.

Through the provided device or the personal cell phone shoppers arepresented with several primary functions such as “Price Check”,“Purchase Item” and “Check out” and several secondary functions such as“Show Cart Detail”, “Show Stock Detail”, “Remove Items” and logout. If“Check Out” is selected, shopping cart items are browsed and edited andverified and finally a receipt is printed which could be used with theregister checkout counter's receipt for final verification. If “PriceCheck” is selected, the final price of the item is displayed which willinclude any discounts based on a sale price, volume purchase or personalcontract with the vendor. If “Purchase Item” is selected, a cart iscreated if it does not already exist, items are added to the cart as itis scanned and running totals are calculated and presented.

Other secondary function proposed by this system are: removing itemsfrom the cart, showing the cart details, showing the inventory of thestore for the scanned item and finally logout option to return thedevice back to the store.

Another proposed functionality of this system could be to combine ashopping list that is already stored on the user's personal wirelesscommunication device with the cart items and display the items that aremissing from the shopping cart, if the shopper's personal wirelesscommunications device is used. This capability could further enhanced,if user could create a shopping list on the vendor's borrowedcommunication device or if the shopper could create a shopping listthrough the vendor's web site remotely before the shopping begins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the flow diagram for the major functionality of the system.

FIG. 2 is the flow diagram for the major functionality of the systemcontinued from FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is the detailed flow diagram for “Customer Checkout” function.

FIG. 4 is the detailed flow diagram for customer “Price Check” function.

FIG. 5 is the detailed flow diagram for customer “Purchase Item”function.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One of the embodiments is a system and method of shopping using wirelesscommunication which could be used in a shopping center or mall (as anexample). This method is comprised of the following steps (as anexample): a shopper is using a wireless device to communicate with anetwork.

The shopper logs in to a store shopping system network, using a cellularor mobile phone. The shopper scans the bar code or universal symbolprinted on a first object using the wireless device, where the first barcode or universal symbol is indicating price, tax, and information aboutthe first object. The shopper adds the first object to the firstshopping cart. The shopper removes a second object from the firstshopping cart, and she/he calculates a total value of the first shoppingcart. She/he is establishing a first shopping list as an alternative tothe first shopping cart, and is calculating a total value of theshopping list (while storing the first shopping cart and the firstshopping list on the wireless device and the cellular or mobile phone).

The shopper scans a second bar code or universal symbol printed on apiece of paper or substrate, using the wireless device from a remotelocation with respect to the physical location of the shopping center ormall.

The second bar code or universal symbol indicates price, tax, andinformation about a third object. The shopper adds the third object to avirtual shopping cart. The shopper removes a fourth object from thevirtual shopping cart, calculating a total value of the virtual shoppingcart, establishing a virtual shopping list as an alternative to thevirtual shopping cart, calculating a total value of the virtual shoppinglist and stores the virtual shopping cart and the virtual shopping liston the wireless device and the cellular or mobile phone.

Some of the capabilities of this system are, but not limited to:combining the data from the virtual shopping cart and the virtualshopping list on the wireless device and cellular or mobile phone withthe data from the first shopping cart and the first shopping list on thewireless device and the cellular or mobile phone. It is also capable ofchecking the available inventory at the store shopping system, checkingthe available sales and coupons at the store shopping system, displayingall the objects selected by the shopper, comparing all the objectsselected by the shopper with each other and with a database. It is alsocapable of receiving a discount based on a volume of purchase, obtaininga contract between the store shopping system and the shopper, receivinga discount based on predetermined prices given in the contract betweenthe store shopping system and the shopper, where the contract furthercomprises a pre-approved list of items and pre-approved credit. (410,412, 414) Also checking out objects from the store shopping system,returning a fifth object to the store shopping system and receiving areceipt from the store's shopping system.

Another embodiment of this system is depicted in FIG. 1-5 and is asfollows: A shopper walks into a store and mall and uses a wirelessdevice such as a cell phone or a vendor provided equipment and logs intothe providers network using and existing personal account (FIG. 1, step110). The main functionality presented to the customer could be thefollowing but not limited to: “Customer Checkout”, “Price Check”,“Purchase Item” and “Other Actions”. “Other actions” could be the groupof the following options but not limited to: “Remove Item”, “Show CartDetail”, “Show Stock Detail” and “Log Out”.

If “Customer Checkout” option is selected (FIG. 1, step 112), customeris instructed to proceed to the checkout (FIG. 3, step 310), cart itemsare presented to the customer in step 312 of FIG. 3 for review andverification. If cart contents is verified (FIG. 3, step 314), a receiptis printed, customer is logged out of the network and process ends. Thiswould be the verification of the purchase and account and the quickcheck at the checkout counter is to flag items that are not in the cartor not in the list which could be added or removed quickly. If the cartcontents is not verified (FIG. 3 step 314), cart contents can be edited(FIG. 3, step 316) and items added and removed. At this stage customeris presented with “Purchase Item” option, which will be described in thefollowing paragraphs (with a receipt option (318)).

If “Price Check” option is selected (FIG. 1, step 114), Contractsdatabase, discounted items list, quantity purchase discount or any otherspecial pricing schedules are consulted to provide the final discountedcost of the purchase of the item to the customer. If no special pricewas found and no special contract for this customer was located, thenormal store catalog is consulted and the price is displayed. At thisstage, the “Purchase Item” option is displayed to the customer and isdiscussed in the next paragraph.

If “Purchase Item” option is selected (FIG. 1, step 116), the systemverifies that a cart for this purchase exists (FIG. 5, step 510). If ashopping cart does not exit, it is created (512) and then the item isadded to this cart (FIG. 5, step 514). If the shopping cart alreadyexists, this item is simply added to the existing shopping cart. At thisstage, customer is presented with the “Purchase Item” option again forscanning of the next barcode. This loop continues until the customer iscompleted with scanning and selects no for the last “Purchase Item”option which will then presented with “Other Actions” option which isdiscussed in the next paragraph.

“Other Actions” option is presented in FIG. 1 step 118, once thecustomer selects “No” for the “Purchase Item” option. At this stage, ifthe customer selects “No” again to this option, the main option menu ispresented with “Customer Checkout” option at the top. If customerselects “Yes” for “Other Actions” option, the second set of options ispresented which could be the following and not limited to: “RemoveItem”, “Show Cart Detail”, “Show Stock Detail” and “Log Out” (FIG. 2).

If “Remove Item” option is selected (FIG. 2, step 210), the current cartitem is removed from the list (FIG. 2, Step 212), cart item list isupdated and customer is presented with “Other Actions” option again.

If “Show Cart Detail” option is selected (FIG. 2, step 214), shoppingcart items detail is presented (FIG. 2, step 216) and customer canscroll through the list of the shopping cart and view the details andprices for each item until the end of the list is reached and customeris again presented with “Other Actions” option. Exiting this mode couldbe done simply by reaching the end of the list or hitting a specialfunction key such as ESC, left or right arrows or any other special key.If the customer has already created a shopping list remotely through thevendor's web site or on its personal communication device, thisverification of the cart which is the consolidated list could show theitems that are missing and not in the shopping cart and must be shopped.

If “Show Stock detail” option is selected (FIG. 2, step 218, store'sinventory list is presented and customer can view the detail of items inthe inventory. Once the end of the list is reached, customer is againpresented with “Other Actions” options. Exiting this mode could be donesimply by reaching the end of the list or hitting a special function keysuch as ESC, left or right arrows or any other special key. (220)

If the “Log Out” option is presented (FIG. 2, step 222), customer has anoption of simply accepting (selecting “Yes”), which terminates theconnection and logs the customer out and wireless device is ready forthe next use. If “No” is selected, “Other Action” option is againpresented and customer can continue.

A system, apparatus, or device comprising one of the following items isan example of the invention: wireless device, RFID tag, store front,shopping cart, email server, server, client device, PDA, mobile device,cell phone, storage to store the messages or data, router, switches,network, communication media, cables, fiber optics, physical layer,buffer, nodes, packet switches, computer monitor, any display device,bank, or credit card, applying the method mentioned above, for purposeof shopping and wireless communication.

Any variations of the above teaching are also intended to be covered bythis patent application.

1. A system of shopping using wireless communication, used in a shoppingcenter or mall, said system comprising: a wireless device; and a firstshopping cart; wherein a shopper uses said wireless device tocommunicate with a network; said shopper logs in to a store shoppingsystem, using a cellular or mobile phone; said shopper scans a first barcode or universal symbol, printed on a first object, using said wirelessdevice; wherein said first bar code or universal symbol indicatingprice, tax, and information about said first object; said shopper addssaid first object to said first shopping cart; said shopper removes asecond object from said first shopping cart; a total value of said firstshopping cart is calculated; said shopper remotely creates a firstshopping list through a vendor's web site as an alternative to saidfirst shopping cart; a total value of said first shopping list iscalculated; said first shopping cart and said first shopping list arestored on said wireless device and said cellular or mobile phone; saidshopper scans a second bar code or universal symbol printed on a pieceof paper or substrate, using said wireless device, from a remotelocation with respect to the physical location of said shopping centeror mall; wherein said second bar code or universal symbol indicatingprice, tax, and information about a third object; said shopper adds saidthird object to a virtual shopping cart; said shopper removes a fourthobject from said virtual shopping cart; a total value of said virtualshopping cart is calculated; a virtual shopping list is established asan alternative to said virtual shopping cart; a total value of saidvirtual shopping list is calculated; said virtual shopping cart and saidvirtual shopping list are stored on said wireless device and saidcellular or mobile phone; data from said virtual shopping cart and saidvirtual shopping list on said wireless device and said cellular ormobile phone are combined with data from said first shopping cart andsaid first shopping list on said wireless device and said cellular ormobile phone; a consolidated list of items from said virtual shoppingcart and said virtual shopping list is displayed to show missing itemsnot in the shopping cart that must be shopped; available inventory atsaid store shopping system is checked; available sales and coupons atsaid store shopping system are checked; all the objects selected by saidshopper are displayed; said all the objects selected by said shopper arecompared with each other and with a database; a discount based on avolume of purchase is received; a contract between said store shoppingsystem and said shopper is obtained; a discount based on predeterminedprices given in said contract between said store shopping system andsaid shopper is received; wherein said contract further comprising apre-approved list of items and pre-approved credit; objects are checkedout from said store shopping system; a fifth object is returned to saidstore shopping system; and a receipt from said store shopping system isreceived.